Variable-speed gearing.



No. 672,779. Patented Apr. 23, |901.

L. JUNES, 1R.

VARIABLE SPEED GEABING.

(Application led Dec. 7, 1900.) (No Model.) 3 Shaets-Sheei l.

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WITNIESSES: L" -J INVENTOR: 5,72% MMM fw/S Jaa/5 da?,

No. 672,779.y Patented Apr. 23, lam.

1 L. Jones, 1n. i

VARIABLE SPEED GEARlNG.

(Application filed Dec. 7, 1900.) (No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

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NM. 672,779. Patented Apr. 23, |901. L. Jones, 1R. VARIABLE SPEED GEARING.

(Application led Dec. 7, 1900.) (VN u M o d e I.)

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PATENT Trios.

LEWIS JONES, JR., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

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VARIABLE-SPEED GEARING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 672,779, dated April 23, 1901.

Application filed December 7, 1900. Serial No. 38,987. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS JONES, Jr., of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Variable-Speed Gearing,where of the following is a specilication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.w

My invention relates to devices comprising `a driving element and a driven element, a

ation in the speed of traverse of the vehicle Without alteration in the speed of rotation of -the motor, and to reverse the direction of traverse of the vehicle at the will of the operator.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a device conveniently embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of said device, taken on the line 2 2 in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of said device,taken on the line 3 Sin Fig. 1. Fig. 4is a sectional view of one of the planetary-gear elements, takenon the line/i4 in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showingV means for adjusting the tension of the band-clutches.

The form of my invention which I have chosen forillustration is particularly arranged for embodiment in an automobile, whose motor-shaft (shown at A in the figures) is herein termed the driving-shaft. Loosely mounted upon said shaft A, in concentric relation therewith, are three gears B, C, and D. As hereinafter described,the device which I have chosen for illustration is so arranged that said gears B and C may be secured to the shaft A and either one orthe other of them serve to drive, by intermediate planetary gears, the gear D, which is fixed upon the driven sleeve DI, and through said sleeve and the gear D2, fixed upon the outer extremity thereof,trans fer motion in either direction to the siipport ing-wheels of the vehicle. As hereinafter specified, the device shown is arranged to rotate said sleeve Dl at either one of three speeds, the lowest speed being produced when the gear B is secured to the shaft A, the medium speed when the gear C is secured to said shaft, and the highest speed when through the interveninggears said sleeve D is secured in fixed relation with said shaft A and rotates therewith. Moreover, said device is so arranged that at either the slowest or the medium speed the sleeve D may be rotated either in the direction of rotation of the shaft A or in the opposite direction to effect the forward or backward movement of the vehicle at the will of the operator. Said shaftgears B and C are operatively connected with the sleeve-gear D by planetary gears which are in duplicate trains, respectively arranged upon counterpart spindles E, mounted for rotation in the drum F. The planetary gears G are engaged with the shaft-gear B, the planetary gears H are engaged with the shaftgear C, the planetary gears I are engaged with the gear D upon said sleeve, and the planetary gears J, exterior to said drum F, engage with the gear 7a upon the reversing brake-drum K.

The shaft A rotates continuously at uniform speedin the direction of the arrow shown thereon in Fig. l, and when the gear B is secured to the shaft A it drives the gear G in the direction indicated by the arrow upon Fig. 4. Said gear G is annular, and its inner circumference is opposed to friction-pawls e, which are mounted for oscillation in the hub E of the spindle E and pressed into engagement with said gear G by respective springs e. Rotation of the spindles E in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4 tends to progress them and the drum F in. the direction indicated by the dotted arrow at the top of Fig. 3, and to prevent such progression I provide said drum F with the pawls F5, which engage in the stationary ratchet L, which is conveniently fixed to the supporting-framework M. Therefore when the gear Bis secured to the shaft A as the driving medium, the spindles E being prevented from progression, the sleeve D is rotated, in the direction of the arrow marked thereon in IOO Fig. 3, at a rate of .speed which is much slower than that of the shaft A and determined by the ratio of the engagedgears B G and I D. During the rotation of the sleeve D at said slow speed the planetary gears H J respectively rotate the gears C and k idly in the i same direction as said shaft and sleeve.

When it is desired to rotate said sleeve at the t medium speed, the gear C` is secured to the shaft A as the driving medium, and the planetary-gear spindles E are rotated morel rapidly by reason of the difference in Vratio between the engaged gears C H and the now idle gears B G, so that the hub E and pawls e slip forward with respect to the gear G without engaging the latter, 'and said sleeve D is rotated by the engaged gears I and D. During the operation vof the device at medium speed the brake-drum K is idly rotated, as during the operation previously described When it is desired to Vdrive the sleeve D at -the highest speed, the drum F is secured in fixed relation with the shaftA as the drivy ing'medium, and the Jsleeve D', being held by Athe several gears in fixed -relation with said shaft A, of course rotates at the same speed as the latter.

As above described, the-drum Fhas a tendency to rotate in the direction indicated by the dotted arrow upon Fig. 3 and is only pre vented from thus rotatingby the engagement of the pawls F5 in the stationary ratchet L.

Therefore if the drum F is freed from thel ratchet L, and the brake-drum K, which normal-ly rotates idly in the-direction of rotation` of the shaft A, is prevented from rotating, the progression of the 1planetary ,gears J around thegear la 4of said brake-drum serves toreversely rotate said drum F in thed-ire'ction ofj the dotted larrow in Fig. 3 at a speed greater` than the speed of rotation yof the sleeve D' in the opposite direction with respect to said.y

drum F, with the result that the direction of* rotation of the sleeve D is reversed with respect to the directionof rotation of theshaft A.

In 4order tofconveniently sec-ure the gears. B 'C and the drum F in fixed relation with. the .shaft A to effect the operations before; described, I provide them with respective drum-anges B C F', opposed to the disk A', which is fixed upon the shaft A., and provide said disk with clutch-bands B2 C2 F2, which are respectively secured at one extremity in fixed relation with said disk upon pins Z) of and operated at the other extremity to grip their respective flanges b y means of respec-` tive clutch-levers B3 C3 F3.r As shown in the several figures, said clutch-levers 'oscillatef upon 'axes b3 ,c3 f3 in said disk Aand are pro-3 vided at their outer extremities with respective arms B4 C4 F4. As best shown in Fig. l, said clutch-arms are extended for oscillation .in respectively ydifferent planes, the arm B4 bei-ng farthest from the disk A', the arm C4 occupying the middle distance, and the arm F4 being mounted immediately adjoining said disk. The described arrangement of said ciu-tch lever-arms permits of their successive operation by the longitudinal traverse of the cone-collar O upon the shaft A. Said collar thrusts the levers -B4 C4 F4 outwardly by conta'ct with the respective friction-rollers b4 c4 f4 and is conveniently 'actuated by the lever P, whose pin-block p is fitted to the groove 0 in the collar. It is to be understood that when said cone-collar O occupies the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l all of the clutch-levers are released, and said shaft A rotates, idly carrying 'with it the disk A', the Lci'lutch-levers, and their connected bands, which latter slide idly upon the flanges opposed to them. When, however, `said conecollar is 'thrust toward the disk A', :it first contacts with the roller b4 and shifts the lever B3 so that the band B2 is drawn taut around 'the fiange B' and the gear B therebysecured fin fixed relation with the shaft A to operate the device at slowest speed. The clutch-lever 'C3 being similarlyI operated by the Afurther traverse of the collar O toward the disk A', the `.gear C is secured in ,fixed relation the shaft A. As shown P'in Figs. land 3,'saidI brake-drum Kis provided with a clutch-band K', one end'of which is'secu-red upon the ,fixed stud k'in the frame M and the free end'of which is 4secured upon the in ue-rextremity 7.92 of the lever K2, which is f u-lcrwmedat KB-upon said frame. It is to be understood that when itis desired to render said drum K stationary, and thus eifect reverse rotation of the `sleeve D', -said brake-lever K2 is shifted in the direction of the arrowshown thereon in Fig. 3, and said drum K is thereby rendered stationary. However, the clam pingof the drum K causes the planetary .gears J to progress around the gear lo and car-ry the drum F in the direction of the dottediarrow upon Fig. 3. Therefore it is necessary to disengage the pawls F5 from the stationary ratchet L before said lever K2 is operated, and for this purpose I 'have ,provided the releasing-disk L', whose teeth are counterpart with those upon the ratchet L `and normally registered therewith, but which is capable of .partial rotation in the ydirection of the arrow marked thereon'in Fig. 3 to IOO IIO

Fig. 3,) and the limit of motion of said disk with respect to the stationary ratchet is pre determined by the length of the slot Z in said disk, which is engaged with the pin Z upon said ratchet.

AThe parts last described are operated to reverse the direction of rotation of the sleeve D at either the slowestor medium speed, as follows: The lever L2 of the releasing-disk L is shifted in the direction of the arrow marked upon it in Fig. 3, and the pawls F5 being `thereby disengaged from said ratchet L the drum F is free to rotate in the reverse direction. (Indicated bythe dotted arrow in Fig. 3.) Thereupon the brake-lever K2 is shifted in the direction of the arrow marked upon it, and the drnmK being clamped by the tightened brake-band K the drum F proceeds to rotate in the reverse direction, with the pawls F5 sliding alternately upon the peripheries of the ratchet VL and the disk L.

For simplicity of Villustration I have shown each of the bands B2, C2, F2,'and K without means for compensating for Wear of the parts. However, it is to be understood that each of said bands maybe provided with such means, and I have shown such means applied to the normally-fixed extremity of the band F2 in Fig. 5, wherein the terminal bight of the band embraces the headof the T-holtf5, Which may be adj usted with respect to its support by rotation of the nuts f6. j

Although I have described the driven element D' as a sleeve, it is to be understood that I have used that term in a descriptive and not in a restrictive sense, as said part D is made tubular in t'the described form of my invention merely as a matter of convenience.

I do not desire to broadly claim the use of planetary gearing in devices of the class to which this invention relates. However, I do not desire to limit myself to the precise arrangement of the parts which I have shown, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein Without departing from the essential features of my invention.

I claimi I. In variable-speed gearing, the combination with a driving-shaft; of a' driven sleeve in concentric relation With said shaft; a gear in concentric relation With said shaft; means to secure said gear in fixed relation with said shaft; a drum mounted in concentric relation with said shaft; a planetary gear spindle mounted for rotation in said drum in engagement with said shaftgear; a gear upon said spindle, in engagement With said sleeve; means to normally detain said drum; means to release saiddetained drum; and means 'to effect reverse rot-ation of said sleeve at the will of the operator, substantially as 'set forth.

2. In variable-speed gearing, the combina tion with a driving-shaft; of a driven sleeve in concentric relation with said shaft; a plurality of gears of different diameters mounted in` concentric relation with said shaft; means to successively secure said gears in fixed relation with said shaft; planetary gears upon a common spindle respectively7 engaged with said gears of different diameters; agear upon said spindle in engagement with said sleeve; and means to normally preventplanetary progression of said spindle, substantially as set forth.

3. In variable-speed gearing, the combination with adrivingshafl; of a driven sleeve in concentric relation with said shaft; a plurality of gears of different diameters mounted in concentric relation with said shaft; means to successively secure said gears in fixed rela-l tion with said shaft; planetary gears upon a common spindle respectively engaged with said gears of dierent diameters; agear upon said spindle'in engagement with said sleeve; means to normally prevent planet-ary progression of said spindle; means to release said spindle; and means to effect reverse rotation of said sleeve, substantially as set forth.

4:. In variableespeed gearing, the combination with a driving-shaft; of a driven sleeve in concentric relation with said shaft; tWo clutch-drums provided With gears of respectively different diameters mounted in concentric relation With said shaft; a third clutch-drum mounted in concentric relation with said shaft; a gear upon the inner extremity of said sleeve; gears mounted in said third drum, upon acommon spindle, in planetary relation With said sleeve-gear and with the respective gears upon the other clutchdrums; means to successively secure said drums in fixed relation with said shaft, and thereby vary the speed of rotation of said sleeve with respect to said shaft, substantially as set forth.

5. In variable-speed gearing, the combination With a driving-shaft; of a driven sleeve in concentric relation with said shaft; a leverbearing disk fixed upon said shaft; a plurality of drums mounted in concentric relation with said shaft opposed to said disk and provided with gears; clutch-levers mounted for oscillation in said disk, and arranged to respectively secure said drums in fixed relation With said shaft; a cone-collar in slidable i-elation with said shaft arranged to operate said clutch-levers; and means to shift said conecollar longitudinally upon said shaft to successively operate said clutch-levers,and thereby vary the speed of rotation of said sleeve with respect to said shaft, substantially as set forth.

6. In variable-speed gearing, the combination with a driving-shaft; of a driven sleeve in concentric relation with said shaft; inner and middle clutch-drums respectively mountedin concentric relation With said shaft and provided With gears of respectively different diameters; an outer clutch-drum mounted in concentric relation with said shaft; a planet ary-gear spindle mounted to rotate in said outer drum; a gear upon the inner extremity of said driven sleeve; a gear fixed upon said spindle in engagement with said sleeve-gear;

IIO

an annular gear in detachable relation with `said spindle and engaged With said inner clutch-drum; means to automatically lock said gear-ring to said spindle by rotation of said ring inv one direction and to render it independent of said spindle by rotation in the opposite direction; a gear Xed upon said spindle and engaged with said middle clutchdrum; a brake-drum; a gear [ixed upon said spindle in engagement With said brake-drum; a brake arranged to engage said brake-drum; a stationary ratchet; a pavvl upon said outer clutch-drum normally engaged with said stationaryratchet; means to disengage said paWl from said ratchet at the will of the operator; and means to successively secure said clutchdrums in Xed relation With said shaft, substantially as set forth.

7. In variable-speed gearing, the combination With a driving-shaft; of a 4driven sleeve in `concentric relation With said shaft; a gear upon said sleeve; a gear in concentric relation with said shaftg means to secure said gear in fixed relation with said shaft aplanetary-gear spindle; gears .upon said spindle respectively engaged with said shaft-gear and said sleeve-gear; a normally idle reversinggear in concentric relation with said sha-ft; a gear upon said spindle in engagement with said reversing-gear; and means to detain said reversing-gear and thereby effect reverse rotation of said sleeve at the will of the operator, substantially as set forth.

` LEWIS JONES, JR.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR E. PAIGE, E. L. FULLERTON. 

